What you may or may not know about me, fair reader, is that in the April of this year, I broke my leg. Badly – and followed it up by developing two massive blood clots, one in each leg. As broken and clotted is not a particularly tenable position for equestrian activities, I have been sidelined for the most part all season.

Today was my third ride back in the saddle. Doctor’s orders, I cannot do anything serious, no jumping or proper dressage tests or hard outdoor rides, until one year has passed from the break, but I have been permitted to return to riding, with my trainer, on a lunge line.

Before you scoff at the beginner and basics type instruction that this would imply, with the associated potential for boredom of an advanced rider doing walk trot lessons on a lunge line, let me explain that not only are we doing basics, but my entire position and style is being stripped apart and getting Blitzed, and when I can go back to riding properly again, I will be so beyond ready, and I am thrilled for it.

My trainer had the opportunity this season to clinic with Olympic athlete Heather Blitz, and it transformed her riding. We are taking the opportunity of my injury and easing back into full on equestrianism to recreate my physical riding form, in the image of those clinics – hence my saying she’s Blitzing my entire position.

I’m really lucky – while I’ve been out, I’ve been able to audit clinics at my trainer’s farm, and watch rides on horses I know, utilizing the new Blitz style in motion. It’s very cool to know the horses being ridden, being able to appreciate their quirks and unique traits, and understand the demands the individual asks of their riders. Joy Congdon, who comes to the farm to clinic with our group, is a tough and fair trainer, and it is amazing to listen to her explain the physics of dressage.

As I said, this is my third ride back. It’s starting to make sense, and I’m starting to feel the difference. Ten thousand repetitions to muscle memory are under way, with careful stretching and excellent physical therapy to keep me on the right track. It can be hard not to dive right back in, but I would prefer to avoid permanent damage – and besides, this is enough. This is hard work. I am grateful for the kind minded Morgan mare who’s become my therapy mount.

My abdominals hurt. My obliques hurt. My latissimus dorsi hurt.

What doesn’t hurt though?

The break in my leg, and the knee that was frozen for three months.

Pictured is JAR Sweet Promise, a Morgan mare with me on lease.